When the White Moonlight Holds the Script - Chapter 9

Intuition told Zhu Zhihan that Luan Wu’s eventual descent into demonhood was inextricably linked to the secrets the female protagonist had uncovered.

Unfortunately, the storybook was vague on the details, and she couldn’t press further for deeper insights. At least not now.

These questions troubled Zhu Zhihan for many days, until the demon invasion incident was officially resolved.

The survivors, including her, were to be taken to the originally selected sects.

Du Peiran and Xiao Chuling were chosen by the same small sect, which meant they would have to part ways with Zhu Zhihan.

Crisis is the best breeding ground for friendship. While Zhu Zhihan hadn’t felt much of it, Du Peiran, a grown young man, was already crying uncontrollably.

Xiao Chuling, having traveled far and wide as a former escort, took it all in stride. She patted Du Peiran on the shoulder and said, “Enough now. All gatherings must end eventually.”

Turning to Zhu Zhihan, she smiled. “Our promise from before will always stand.”

Zhu Zhihan watched them leave. Tu Meng stood beside her and asked, “Feeling reluctant to part?”

“Not really,” Zhu Zhihan replied, withdrawing her gaze.

She was just slightly moved, that was all.

She didn’t take their words too seriously either.

Everything changes. Once they truly stepped into the world of cultivation, they would encounter more thrilling experiences and more dazzling individuals. They might be inspired by certain events, or they might realize the true chasm between themselves and geniuses, their mindsets shifting as a result.

As time passed, a promise would become insignificant.

What she was more concerned about was the Blade Sect she was about to join.

That was the sect where the great antagonist resided.

What would it be like inside?

It must be grand and magnificent or perhaps it would be a landscape of mountains of blades and seas of fire! A river of red floating with three thousand starving ghosts.

The thought alone made her tense.

On the flying vessel, Tu Meng gave her a heads-up: “Our sect might be a little different from what you imagine.”

She pinched her thumb and forefinger together, leaving a minuscule gap between them.

Zhu Zhihan nodded gravely.

She understood. She wouldn’t be afraid.

Seeing her comprehension, Tu Meng patted her shoulder approvingly.

Then Tu Meng said, “Elder Sister might not be back at the sect at this time. The Grand Elder and the rest of us junior disciples will be responsible for receiving and settling you in.”

“Since Elder Sister has given everyone the impression that she would never take a disciple, they might be a bit surprised, a bit enthusiastic.”

Zhu Zhihan expressed her understanding.

“Don’t worry about me. Just give me a room.”

Tu Meng, however, insisted, “How could we do that? You’re Elder Sister’s disciple! Don’t worry, everyone will like you.”

After saying this, Tu Meng found her own words overly sentimental and burst into laughter.

Distracted by this, Zhu Zhihan felt her tension ease considerably.

With someone as cheerful as Aunt Tu around, it probably wouldn’t be too bad, right?

A thought flashed through her mind, but she didn’t dwell on it.

In her previous life, she had never heard of this sect’s deeds.

In any case, amid her curiosity and apprehension (mostly about the possibility of encountering Luan Wu again), they finally reached their destination.

After disembarking from the flying vessel,

she stared at the solitary mountain peak and the slightly cracked, poorly maintained sect gate, and her entire being went: …

Was this really the right place?

In her previous life, the Medicine Sect she belonged to had forty-eight peaks. She and her master alone occupied one peak, and even after gaining junior disciples, they still had plenty of space.

But this…

It wasn’t a matter of disdain, but rather sheer astonishment.

This was the Dao Sovereign, after all!

A figure renowned even within the Immortal Alliance.

For such a person’s dwelling even if not luxurious, it should at least carry an air of grandeur.

Tu Meng seemed to sense the awkward silence and scratched the back of her head. “Haha, looks pretty shabby, doesn’t it?”

“Can’t help it if it’s shabby! The sect’s funds were all used to pay off debts. Hmph, now that you’ve joined our Blade Sect, you’re one of us, no turning back!”

Zhu Zhihan followed Tu Meng inside.

Since there was only one peak, walking along the stone steps of the mountain path allowed them to glimpse the training grounds, the library, and other places from a distance. They even encountered a disciple descending the mountain. After greeting Tu Meng, the disciple couldn’t hide his curiosity as he glanced at Zhu Zhihan behind her.

Zhu Zhihan smiled at him, and the disciple took two steps back, his ears turning bright red.

“Um, Elder Aunt, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head down to complete my mission!” The disciple avoided Zhu Zhihan’s gaze, his face as red as a monkey’s bottom.

With Tu Meng’s permission, the disciple scurried away in a hurry.

After the disciple left, Tu Meng dropped her composed elder demeanor. Noticing Zhu Zhihan’s puzzled look, she laughed heartily. “Our Blade Sect is a ‘monk’ sect, we’ve never had a pretty junior sister before. That kid was just shy!”

“You want to say your master is also good-looking? Ah, Senior Sister is indeed beautiful, but who would dare treat her as a woman?”

“As for me, I look older, so those brats see me as an auntie. They wouldn’t react that way to me either. Speaking of which, little junior niece, you’re quite pretty. I wonder how you’ll look once you’ve fully grown.” Tu Meng sighed wistfully.

Zhu Zhihan raised her eyebrows in disagreement. In her eyes, Tu Meng was clearly beautiful, with a striking, heroic aura.

She envied that and wished to be like her at the very least, it was better than being herself.

The mountain path was truly long, and there were no spirit beasts or other means of transportation. After walking for a while, Zhu Zhihan’s face turned deathly pale. She had overestimated herself after all, she hadn’t formally started cultivating yet. Even with her meridians cleansed and marrow refined, she was still far weaker than an ordinary person.

Not wanting to cause more trouble, she kept her head down and said nothing.

Tu Meng, being rather oblivious, only noticed something was wrong with the girl after a while and hurriedly stopped.

Before Zhu Zhihan could react, Tu Meng scooped her up into her arms.

“Ah,” Zhu Zhihan let out a short gasp.

But she was too dizzy to resist and could only let Tu Meng hold her.

Tu Meng’s figure wasn’t slender; she was sturdy and gave off a strong sense of security.

Zhu Zhihan couldn’t even remember the last time someone had held her like this. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

She whispered, “Please put me down. I can rest for a bit and then keep going.”

Tu Meng asked, “Are you alright?”

Zhu Zhihan bit her lower lip. “It’s an old issue. It’s fine if you ignore it.”

In truth, she wanted to say that Tu Meng could leave her there, and she could make her way up on her own later.

After all, she wasn’t really a child, nor was she that delicate.

It would also give her a chance to enjoy the scenery.

She really didn’t want to waste Tu Meng’s time or feel indebted to her.

But then Tu Meng said, “That won’t do.”

There was a lazy, amused tone in the woman’s voice. “You kids, why are you so stubborn? What’s wrong with relying on your elders a little?”

Zhu Zhihan fell silent.

She could tell that Tu Meng was a truly good person.

She had never met someone like this before.

In the past, the people Zhu Zhihan encountered required her to give ten parts before they might return one, but Tu Meng was different.

She was Tu Meng’s apprentice, yet she knew that even if it were an unrelated child here today, Tu Meng would still pick them up in the same way.

Why was that?

Curled up in Tu Meng’s embrace, her head resting on the broad shoulder, her gaze drifted vaguely into the distance.

But she had to admit, in this jostling, sturdy embrace, a certain solid, cold part of her heart was beginning to melt away.

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